Man Distracted by Device Falls to His Death off San Diego Cliff

A man plunged to his death off a San Diego cliff on Christmas while he was distracted by an electronic device, authorities said Saturday.

The 20-year-old man, whose identity has not yet been released, fell 60 feet to his death from California’s popular Sunset Cliffs at about 5 p.m. on Friday, Fox 5 reports. He appeared to be staring into either a cell phone or a camera while walking around before the fatal fall, the news outlet said.

“Witnesses stated seeing someone distracted by an electronic device and he just fell over the edge,” San Diego Lifeguard Bill Bender told NBC 7. “[He] wasn’t watching where he was walking, he was looking down at the device in his hands.”

Three people reportedly climbed down the rocks to save him, but he died died at the scene.

“Just like driving and using your cellphone, you don’t want to be walking and using your cell phone,” Bender said. “You don’t want to be distracted by anything when you’re in an area where you can be put at risk.”